President Obama needs help -- help to make him do some things that could very well save this country. The ideal man for the job is Dr. Howard Dean. The means for doing the job would be a primary challenge for the Democratic nomination for president in 2012.
A year ago, I published on this site my own Christmas list of what I was eager to see from our new president. While I didn't gulp the Kool-Aid of Obama as Messiah or even the fulfillment of Dr. King's dream, I was very hopeful that the days of unitary authoritarian klepto-oligarchy were over. Clearly and regrettably, they are not.
The President designated three men to run our government's role in the economy: the Fed chairman who presided over its collapse, the former NY fed president who cut AIG a secret sweetheart deal to keep it afloat, and the former Treasury Secretary who was Phil Gramm's partner in doing away with the Glass-Steagall Act, the firewall between our savings accounts and the Wall Street roulette wheel.
The President was AWOL on his announced top priority: health care reform. This resulted in the stillbirth of a single-payer concept, the death of the public option, and the crippling of the entire effort which may yet prove fatal.
While admirably pointing our involvement in Iraq in the direction of conclusion, The President has ordered increased numbers of troops to Afghanistan without adequately communicating measurable goals or, more importantly, and exit strategy.
These are but three exhibits among those that lead me to the conclusion that our President may possess intellect but lacks courage. To be frank, President Obama needs to grow a pair, and soon.
Two generations ago, when faced with the need to make difficult but self-evidently correct policy decisions, Franklin D. Roosevelt told progressives of his day, "I agree with you, I want to do it. Now make me do it." One of the forces that made him do many of the things that saved this country during the great depression was Louisiana Gov. Huey Long. Long spent the first years of FDR's presidency coming at him from the left. Progressive taxation, public works, a social safety net -- these were all things that FDR was made to do because of the threat from the man he called "the most dangerous demagogue in America."
It is clear that President Obama needs his Gov. Long. I submit that the ideal man for the job is Howard Dean. The means for doing the job would be a primary challenge in 2012.
First, Dean has undeniable political and policy chops from his time as a medical professional, Vermont governor, presidential candidate, and DNC chairman. Second, he has a good deal of credibility, and not just among the Birkenstock-and-Volvo crowd. Third and most important, many in the Obama camp -- primarily Rahm Emmanuel -- can't stand him. In short, he's perfect.